Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment: Parkinson's Disease

Baroness Browning: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of personal independence payments (PIP) to support the financial needs of people with Parkinson's disease since the introduction of PIP 10 years ago.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Entitlement to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Award rates and their durations are set on an individual basis, based on the claimant’s needs and the likelihood of those needs changing. Award reviews allow for the correct rate of PIP to remain in payment, including where needs have increased because of a worsening condition. PIP is a contribution to the extra costs arising from a disability or health condition. PIP is increased every April by at least the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index in September the previous year. PIP payments were uprated by 10.1% from April 2023.

Employment: Special Educational Needs

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities do not face stigma when applying for employment.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: On the 2nd April, DWP launched a new review, led by Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KC MP, that will explore ways to increase the number of autistic people in employment. One area of focus in the review is understanding the working practices or initiatives that can reduce stigma and improve the productivity of autistic employees. Whilst the review focuses specifically on autistic people, many of the issues and solutions are likely to be similar for other young people with SEND, and they will also benefit from the recommendations the review will bring forward. The Disability Confident scheme supports employers to make the most of the talents disabled people of all ages can bring to the workplace. It provides employers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop, disabled people in the workplace. It aims to challenge the stigmas of what it means to employ a disabled person and encourages employers to think differently about disability and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face in the workplace. This is in addition to DWP providing employment support to employers and young people with SEND to overcome barriers to employment. This support includes: The Access to Work (AtW) scheme: which supports disabled people who have the most significant barriers to employment. DWP are delivering a series of AtW Adjustments Passport pilots in a variety of settings that will enable us to gain an understanding on whether a passport can support a more coherent journey of adjustment support. This includes testing an Adjustments Passport for people transitioning from education to employment.Access to Work Plus (AtW+): which asks employers to think differently about their vacancies and consider if they can adapt, shape or flex job roles to enable a disabled person to retain, return, or move into, employment. The AtW+ pilot will help us to understand whether the introduction of new support beyond the existing Access to Work scheme, would enable disabled people with high in-work support needs, take up employment.Youth Employability Coaches (YECs), part of the DWP Youth Offer: help young people overcome barriers to employment such as homelessness, addiction, and other complex needs, as well as offering 6 weeks of in-work support once they move into work. YECs work closely alongside Disability Employment Advisors to support those with disabilities and health conditions. They also link with partner organisations who can provide specialist advice. The Department for Education are investing c£18 million until 2025 to build capacity and level up quality in the Supported Internships Programme and double the number of internships to support more young people with SEND into employment. This includes grant funding to all local authorities and support and training to strengthen the quality of their supported internship offers, alongside activities to engage employers and support them to host interns. To ensure that employers are supported to create new apprenticeship opportunities, the Department for Education provide targeted financial support directly to training providers to help remove barriers and stigmas for people with a learning difficulty or disability. Employers could receive £1,000 towards the costs of workplace support when they take on an apprentice aged 16-18 or 19-25 with an Education, Health, and Care Plan, as well as help to cover the extra costs working individuals may have because of their disability through the DWP’s Access to Work scheme. Improvements have also been made to the Find an Apprenticeship service to allow people to identify Disability Confident employers offering opportunities.

Personal Independence Payment: Appeals

Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask His Majesty's Government whatpercentage of Personal Independence Payment appeals which went to a tribunal were successful, in each year since those payments were introduced.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The table below shows for those Personal Independence Payment appeals that were cleared at hearing, the proportion that were decided in favour of the claimant. Financial YearPercentage of Personal Independence Payment appeals that were cleared at hearing, that were decided in favour of the claimant2013/1426%2014/1550%2015/1661%2016/1765%2017/1868%2018/1973%2019/2077%2020/2176%2021/2270%2022/23*69% Notes:This information has been extracted from the Tribunal Statistics Quarterly: October to December 2022 publication produced by the Ministry of Justice. The publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2022. “Table SSCS_3 Social Security and Child Support - Number of disposals cleared at hearing by outcomes and benefit type, 2007/08 to Q3 2022/23” has been used to produce these figures.Personal Independence Payment (New Claim Appeals) also includes Disability Living Allowance reassessed cases. Personal Independence Payment was introduced on 8 April 2013 and replaced Disability Living Allowance for those aged 16 or over.The 2022/23 financial year is not complete, it will contain up to and including December 2022. The figures for this year are provisional and subject to revision in later publications.

Agriculture: Quad Bikes

Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any,to make "roll bars" compulsory on quad bikesoperatedin a farm environment.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the regulator for health and safety in Great Britain. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is the equivalent regulator in Northern Ireland. HSE and HSENI have no plans to make operator crush prevention devices compulsory on sit astride all-terrain vehicles (commonly referred to as quad bikes) used on farms in UK. Machines supplied into the UK market must meet the Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 and relevant Standards. Quad bikes are used in a range of workplace and leisure settings, not just agriculture. Both UK regulators continue to monitor and review available technology and the regulatory approaches employed in other countries. Their approach remains to drive employers to select the most suitable machine for the task based on their assessment of workplace risk, and to provide adequate training and helmets for users.

Industrial Injuries

Earl Attlee: To ask His Majesty's Government what were the top 10 causes ofwork-related fatal injuries of the 123 workers killed in Great Britain in 2021/22 asrecorded by the Health and Safety Executive.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes official statistics on work-related fatal injuries at https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm. Data specifically for work-related fatal injuries by accident kind is reproduced in the table below. Table 1: Number of work-related fatal injuries to workers (employees and self-employed) in Great Britain by kind of accident, 2021/22 Source: Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) Accident kindNumber of fatal injuries  to workersAll accident kinds123Falls from a height29Struck by moving vehicle23Struck by moving, including flying/falling, object18Contact with moving machinery15Trapped by something collapsing/overturning14Contact with electricity or electrical discharge9Drowning or asphyxiation4Strike against something fixed or stationary2Exposure to fire2Slips, trips or falls on same level1Exposure to, or contact with, a harmful substance1Exposure to an explosion1Injured by an animal1Acts of violence1Other kind of accident2 Figures for 2021/22 are at this stage provisional. They will be finalised in July 2023 following any necessary adjustments.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthe requirement under the Windsor Framework for UK-wide labelling of goods as not intended for the EU will be required for all goods manufactured or sold in the UK, or only for goods that are intended for Northern Ireland.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Labelling requirements will apply to a targeted category of goods, and will take effect in a phased way. These requirements will ensure that the same goods are on the shelves across the whole United Kingdom. This is the right approach to support and safeguard the functioning of the UK internal market. That is why, as noted in the Command Paper, we intend for these labelling requirements to apply UK-wide from October 2024. We will continue to work closely with industry in advance of those changes taking effect.

China: Trade

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Johnson of Lainston on 19 April (HL Deb, cols 685–97) relating to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), what assessment they have made of China's relationship with the CPTPP; and what consideration they give when considering trade relationships to theresolution ofthe House of Commons on 22 April 2021 (HC Deb, col 1246) that China is responsible for genocide in Xinjiang.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has welcomed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) members' willingness to expand the group, and that membership is open to all economies willing to meet the high standards of the agreement. However, as a non-member, we are not commenting on the specifics of other economies' interest in the agreement. Once a member of CPTPP, we would have to agree whether, and on what terms, any new economy could join CPTPP.

Bahrain: Demonstrations

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, further tothe Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 14 March (161427),what assessment they have made ofthecomplaint filed by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy on the arrests of four protestors at the Bahrain Grand Prix on 5 March; and what updates they have received, if any, from (1) the government of Bahrain, or (2) the Bahraini oversight bodies, regarding the complaint or the case.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I refer the noble Lord to the following answer given on 14 March 2023 to Question 161427.The FCDO is aware of the arrest on 5 March and the release the same day of four people protesting near the Bahrain Grand Prix. We continue to follow matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely, including some individual cases. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad raised a range of human rights issues during his visit to Bahrain on Sunday 12 February. We encourage those with concerns to raise them directly with the appropriate Bahraini oversight body.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what opportunities there will be for foodproducts intended for internal Northern Ireland sale and consumption, and not to be sold in the EU, to be produced to GB standards.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have ensured that food that meets UK public health standards will be available for sale in Northern Ireland. UK public health and safety standards will apply for all retail food and drink in the UK internal market. UK standards will also apply more broadly for this trade, covering rules on public health, marketing, organics, labelling, genetic modification, and drinks such as wines, spirits and mineral waters. Overall, the Windsor Framework will remove more than 60 EU food and drink rules in the original Protocol.

Northern Ireland Protocol

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government what the total cost to the Treasury was of implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol in the financial year 2022–23.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: For information on the historical cost of the Trader Support Service and other support schemes implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol, I refer the hon. Member to the answer gave by the Minister for Europe on 22 February 2023 to Question 146816.

Ministry of Defence

HMS Prince of Wales

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of reports that equipment has been taken from HMS Prince of Wales to be fitted to HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Baroness Goldie: It is common practice in modern navies for equipment to be transferred amongst ships of the same class to allow ships to remain operationally available. This ensures the Royal Navy meets all its operational commitments. For reasons of operational security, it would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of equipment transfer.

HMS Prince of Wales

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether HMS Prince of Wales will be returned to active service; and if so, when.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 3 April 2023 to Question HL6891.HMS Prince of Wales: Repairs and Maintenance (docx, 17.8KB)

HMS Prince of Wales

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government what costs will be incurred to return HMS Prince of Wales to active service.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 3 April 2023 to Question HL6632.HMS Prince of Wales: Repairs and Maintenance (docx, 24.3KB)

Department of Health and Social Care

Health Services: ICT

Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the British Medical Association reportBuilding the Future: Getting IT Right, published on 5 December 2022; in particular, the finding that "nearly 76 per cent of doctors ranked 'interoperability of systems' as a 'significant barrier' to digital transformation"; and what assessment they have made of whether the absence of a consistent child identifier prevents the interoperability of IT systems for protecting children's health and care.

Lord Markham: An assessment on interoperability has been made across several areas through the Digital Maturity Assessment, providing greater understanding of individual organisational-level capability and enabling focus on national efforts to support levelling up those organisations at a lower level of maturity. Every child born in England is issued a National Health Service number at birth which stays with them throughout their life. The NHS number acts as a unique patient identifier and is used to share information within electronic healthcare records. This contributes to improved health outcomes for children by ensuring that health professionals identify patients correctly and have access to information to inform the delivery of appropriate care.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government whythey havewithdrawn the opportunity for COVID-19 vaccine boosters to people living with the immunocompromisedpeopleat risk of severe infection or death from COVID-19.

Lord Markham: Following advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), in autumn 2022 an extra booster dose was offered to individuals aged 50 years old and over, residents in care homes for older people, frontline health and social care workers, those aged five to 49 years old in a clinical risk group and individuals aged five to 49 years old who were household contacts of people with immunosuppression or carers, as defined in the UK Health Security Agency green book. The autumn programme closed on 12 February 2023 in England. On 7 March 2023, the Government accepted the advice of the JCVI to offer an additional booster vaccine dose in spring 2023. The primary aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19. Therefore, the spring booster has been offered to those at highest risk of severe COVID-19, adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in a care home for older adults and individuals aged five years old and over who are immunosuppressed. The spring booster programme in 2022 also focused on those at highest risk of severe COVID-19 and offered an additional dose to these same targeted groups from 12 years old and up.

Doctors and Nurses: Training

Lord Lilley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the cost of training (1) a doctor, and (2) a nurse; and how much of that cost is covered by student loans.

Lord Markham: The Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the University of Kent estimates that the cost of training an individual doctor from the beginning of medical school through to the end of the foundation training programme is approximately £327,000. This includes salaries paid to the trainee during the foundation stage while they are working, living expenses and other costs of training. This includes costs borne by both the wider National Health Service and the individual undertaking the training. PSSRU estimate the cost of training a nurse to be approximately £67,000. These estimates are published in their Unit Costs of Health and Social Care Manual. The maximum amount that can be borrowed in student loans by an individual medical student is between £74,000 and £93,000 for a five-year course, depending on the individual’s living arrangements. From year five of an undergraduate course, and from year two of a graduate-entry course, medical students can also access the NHS Bursary. This is non-repayable and comprises payment for tuition fees and, where eligible, further grants and allowances. The maximum amount that can be borrowed in student loans by an individual nursing student is between £53,000 and £67,000 for a three-year course, depending on the student’s living arrangements. In addition, since September 2020, all eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health profession students have received a non-repayable training grant of a minimum of £5,000 per academic year.

Department for Education

Special Educational Needs: Employment

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan to find work.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of participants in thesupported internship program have an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Baroness Barran: The department is committed to providing all young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities to allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.On 2 March 2023, we published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the SEND and AP Green Paper published in March 2022. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust, and provide financial sustainability.In the Improvement Plan, the department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs.Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND.Supported internships are a study programme for young people aged 16 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, want to move into employment and need extra support to do so. All young people completing a supported internship have an EHC plan. We are investing approximately £18 million until 2025 to build capacity in the Supported Internships Programme and support more young people with EHC plans into employment.The department also wants to ensure people of all ages and backgrounds can undertake apprenticeships that offer excellent career development and progression opportunities. In recent years, we have seen an improved representation of learners who have declared a Learning Difficulty or Disability (LDD) starting apprenticeships. We have improved our ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ service to allow people to identify Disability Confident Employers offering opportunities. Training providers will conduct an assessment for people with an LDD to identify if they require a reasonable adjustment to undertake and continue with their apprenticeship.To ensure that employers are supported to create new apprenticeship opportunities, the department provides targeted financial support directly to training providers to help remove barriers for people with a LDD. Employers could receive £1,000 towards the costs of workplace support when they take on an apprentice aged 16-18 or 19-25 with an EHC plan, as well as help to cover the extra costs working individuals may have because of their disability, through the DWP’s Access to Work scheme.

National Tutoring Programme

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to encourage schools to take part in the National Tutoring Programme so far; and what further steps they will take to increase this uptake.

Baroness Barran: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.In the 2021/22 academic year, 87% of schools participated in the National Tutoring Programme (NTP). In the 2022/23 academic year, up to 19 January 2023, 66% of schools have participated so far. The department anticipates that the number of schools taking part will continue to increase throughout the year, as it did during the 2021/22 academic year.The department has delivered a range of activities to raise awareness of NTP and encourage non-engaged schools to take part. This has included emails to schools, webinars, in person events and social media engagement. Practical guidance has been provided to support head teachers to implement tutoring and share best practice in case studies and blogs. The department offers a dedicated customer support desk to respond to queries on tutoring.An outbound call campaign is underway, targeting schools that are not yet engaged. The purpose of the calls is to offer personalised support to senior leaders to understand what barriers they may be facing and advise how to overcome them. The department is using the insight gained from these phone calls to inform improvements to the wider NTP messaging strategy.

Children in Care

Lord Laming: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of children placed in local authority care.

Baroness Barran: The department published its plans to reform children’s social care on 2 February 2023 in ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1147317/Children_s_social_care_stable_homes_consultation_February_2023.pdf.‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ sets out how the department will help families to overcome challenges at an early stage, keep children safe and make sure those in care have stability, long-term loving relationships and opportunities for a good life. Over the next two years, the department will address urgent issues facing children and families now and lay the foundations for a whole system reform.A central aim of the reform programme is to keep more children safely with their families, where this is possible. The department will invest more than £45 million over the next two years through its ‘Families First for Children Pathfinder’, which will test the implementation of reforms across Family Help, Child Protection, and Family Network Support Packages. This will inform wider roll out.Whilst the government recognises the importance of reducing the number of placements for children in the care system, placements can be the right option for some children. The strategy also sets out how the department is prioritising work with local authorities to ensure children have access to the right placements at the right time.

National Tutoring Programme

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward any successor programmes to the National Tutoring Programme to enable pupils to catch up academically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Barran: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Since the National Tutoring Programme began in 2020, over three million courses have been started. The department has invested more than £1 billion so that pupils can catch up through accessing high quality tuition.The department has committed that tutoring will be embedded across schools in England by 2024. Tutoring will be a staple offer from schools to provide targeted support, using core budgets including the Pupil Premium, to ensure tutoring reaches pupils who will benefit the most.

Special Educational Needs: Employment

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan are in employment at (1) 18 years, (2) 21 years, and (3) 25 years, old.

Baroness Barran: Published evidence cannot directly answer the exact wording of the question. The government has published multiple pieces of analysis that examine employment outcomes for people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Taken together, this evidence shows that there is an employment gap between those with SEND and those without.Note that for children and young people with more complex needs, the education, health and care (EHC) plan replaced statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs) in 2014. This replacement took some years to rollout. Details are available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf. There are therefore limited cohorts of pupils where it is possible to assess long-term employment rates for individuals with EHC plans.The most relevant published evidence assesses the outcomes of young people that took their GCSEs exams between 2002 and 2007. The 2021 report is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1122775/Research_report_-_Post_16_education_and_labour_market_activities_pathways_and_outcomes_LEO.pdf. The report covers cohorts that took their GCSEs before special educational needs (SEN) statements were replaced by EHC plans. This analysis shows that of the 2001/02 key stage 4 GCSEs, usually taken at age 16, cohort used in the analysis, 39% of people that had a SEN statement were in employment[1] fifteen years later. For comparison, 50% that had SEN without a statement were estimated to be employed, versus 63% of students with no identified SEN.There are multiple other pieces of published evidence that assesses the labour market outcomes of those with a SEN, a learning difficulty and/or a disability captured below:The department publishes key stage 4 and key stage 5 destination data by pupil characteristic: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations.The department also publishes outcome data for further education learners: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-outcome-based-success-measures.The Office for National Statistics publishes estimates of UK employment rates for people with disabilities: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/articles/outcomesfordisabledpeopleintheuk/2021.NHS Digital publishes employment rates for adults with learning difficulties receiving support from social services: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/adult-social-care-outcomes-framework-ascof/2021-22.[1] Employment is defined here as “the individual has been in paid employment for at least one day in each of the 12 months of the tax year. If the individual has a spell of employment but no income in the tax year (e.g. career break) then the individual is not counted as being employed.”

General Teaching Council for England: Finance

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what were the (1) revenue, and (2) capital costs, of the General Teaching Council for England (including disbursements associated with its creation) for each financial year in which it existed.

Baroness Barran: The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) was in place from 2000 to 2012 and was funded through registration fees. The department’s data retention policy is 6+1 years. As such, we no longer have access to data relating to the period 2000 to 2012.The ‘Transparency and Freedom of Information releases’ contains information about the GTCE’s Annual Report and Financial Statements from 2005 to 2012. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/search/transparency-and-freedom-of-information-releases?organisations%5B%5D=general-teaching-council-for-england&parent=general-teaching-council-for-england.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Ecology

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of the microbiosphere in England and Wales; and what steps they are taking (1) to enhance knowledge of it, and (2) to preserve it.

Lord Benyon: On 31st January 2023 the Government published its second statutory Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23), as committed to in the Environment Act. The EIP23 builds on the Government’s commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. It is delivery focussed and sets out the actions that will drive us towards reaching our long-term environmental targets and goals, including improving and protecting soil health. This is aided by Defra receiving £140 million research and development funding over three years towards delivering the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) Programme. NCEA is building long term monitoring capability and yielding valuable new data, including improved understanding of national soil condition and soil microbial activity.

Waste Management: Fires

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Benyon on 24 April (HL7121),what assessmentthey have made of the cost of fires in waste processing plants resulting from lithium-ion batteries.

Lord Benyon: Defra has not made an assessment of the costs of fires arising in waste processing plants. Research conducted by Eunomia and the Environmental Services Association which was published in 2021 estimated the annual cost of lithium-ion battery fires to be £158 million. A copy is attached to this answer.Li-ion battery fires in waste industry (pdf, 1880.5KB)

Waste Management: Fires

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the withdrawal of waste or recycling services as a result of lithium-ion batteries fires in waste processing plants.

Lord Benyon: Defra has not made an assessment of the withdrawal of waste or recycling services as a result of lithium-ion batteries in waste processing plants. Waste diversion to other authorised facilities routinely happens when a plant is down for maintenance, refurbishment or closed.

Waste Management: Fires

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) reduce risk, and (2) mitigate the impact of lithium-ion battery fires in waste processing plants.

Lord Benyon: Sites storing and processing waste are required to have a fire prevention plan (FPP) to mitigate and manage the fire risk on site. A critical part of the FPP is to have robust waste acceptance procedures in place to ensure that lithium-ion batteries and other ignition sources are separated, stored and treated appropriately to prevent fires occurring. Defra is reviewing the existing UK Batteries Regulations with a view to consulting by end 2023. As part of this review, work is ongoing to understand the potential safety risks of lithium-ion batteries.

Waste Management: Climate Change

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what further plans they have for new waste management strategies to address the effects of climate change.

Lord Benyon: The “Powering Up Britain - The Net Zero Growth Plan” published in March 2023 sets out the Government's approach to reaching net zero, including for the waste sector. Within this, the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan sets out our commitment to the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 2028, through the Collection and Packaging Reforms, as well as additional policies. To that aim, we will launch a Call for Evidence shortly focused on the near elimination of biodegradable waste being sent to landfill. The Government has also committed to publish an addendum to the Resources and Waste Strategy in the summer, which will focus on net zero.

Department for Business and Trade

Business: Women

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have, if any, to encourage more women into business, entrepreneurship and the labour market; and what support they will provide to facilitate that.

The Earl of Minto: The Government has set an ambition to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by half by 2030, equivalent to 600,000 new entrepreneurs. The Department is achieving this target by delivering recommendations in the Alison Rose Review, which found that if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men, this could add £250 billion to the UK economy. Over 150,000 new all-women led companies were founded in 2022 – more than ever before, and a fifth of new incorporations (20.5%) last year were all-female led, a figure that has risen from 16% in 2018. Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £355m (As of March 2023).The Review made recommendations on access to finance; banking products; access to expertise; mentoring and networks; entrepreneurship in schools and available resources for entrepreneurs. The Government is delivering on these through initiatives such as the Investing in Women Code and Angel Investment Taskforce.

Consumer Goods: Imports

Lord Robathan: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that consumer goods imported into the UK are labelled only with regard to the recognised customs authority that processes their export.

The Earl of Minto: His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the UK’s customs authority, is responsible for the vast majority of customs matters and protects the UK’s fiscal, economic, social and physical security before and at the border. HMRC works closely with Border Force to deliver customs controls for goods entering the UK. This ensures that customs functions are delivered effectively and in such a way that secures the UK border- for example, checking that goods have the correct customs documentation to allow import into the UK. All imported goods are required to meet UK regulations, including any relevant labelling requirements.

Consumer Goods: Safety

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of unsafe products, such as toys, sold via third-party sellers in the UK.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they aretaking to limit the number of dangerous toys sold by third-party sellers on online marketplaces.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for making online marketplaces jointly and severally liable for products sold via their platforms.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had withthe Office of Product Safety and Standards regarding the number of unsafe products, such as toys, sold by third-party sellers on online marketplaces.

The Earl of Minto: The UK has strict laws that require that all consumer products must be safe before being placed on the UK market, either online or the high street.The UK product regulator, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), has prioritised activities to target unsafe products sold by third party sellers online, including toys. Activities include checks on goods entering through borders, test purchasing and assessment of goods available online. OPSS is tackling the most serious cases by requiring recalls and takedowns and where necessary, taking enforcement action to prevent unsafe products from being made available to UK consumers. My colleague Minister Hollinrake and senior officials have held meetings with the major online marketplaces demanding they take more action to fulfil their responsibilities for supplying safe goods.The Government is reviewing the product safety framework. Following its Call for Evidence, a consultation, including proposals to ensure that supply chain responsibilities are clear and concerns about the sale of unsafe products online are addressed, is being finalised and will be published shortly.

Consumer Goods: Safety

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government when theOffice for Product Safety and Standards will publish its Product Safety Review.

The Earl of Minto: The Product Safety Review consultation is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.

Trade Agreements

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made (1) of the UK's ability togovern the safety of toys entering the UK marketplace, and (2) the upholding of UK consumer protections, during trade agreement negotiations.

The Earl of Minto: The UK’s product safety regulatory framework, as regulated by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, provides a high level of protection to consumers. Any trade negotiations seek to achieve growth in the economy while also ensuring the safety of UK consumers.

Cooperatives: Government Assistance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure thateligibility criteria for business support provides accessibility for co-operative business models.

The Earl of Minto: The government aims to make the UK the best place in the world to start, scale up and grow a business. We provide extensive business support which is accessible to all types of businesses including co-operatives.Our Business Support Helpline, 38 Growth Hubs and Made Smarter programmes provide expert advice covering, guidance, funding, signposting to all types of business, including pre-start-ups and voluntary, community and social enterprises.Grant funding and leadership training is also available to SMEs to help them adopt industrial and management skills for growing businesses, which could include for co-operative businesses being run on a commercial basis.

Post Offices: ICT

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what compensation will be paid to the descendants of postmasters who have diedor taken their own life as a result of their wrongful conviction for fraud.

The Earl of Minto: In the unfortunate event of a postmaster passing away, claims for compensation can be taken forward by appropriate representatives (with evidence of the legal relationship to the eligible postmaster). This is the case whether a claim is made to the Group Litigation Order (GLO) compensation scheme (run by Government); a claim is made to the Historical Shortfall Scheme (HSS) compensation scheme (run by Post Office) or a claim is made to Post Office for compensation for a postmaster who had a conviction which was overturned.

Post Offices: ICT

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have to pursue criminal prosecutions against former Post Office senior managers whomay have knowingly pursued postmasters for frauds they did not commit.

The Earl of Minto: The Government has set up a statutory inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal. Collective and individual accountability for the scandal can only be considered when the Inquiry has reviewed all of the evidence.

Supermarkets: Competition

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many actions have been brought by small-scale growers of fruit and vegetables against alleged unfair practices pursued by supermarkets following the recent interruptions to the supply chain; and how many of these actions have culminated in fines where growers were found to have been disadvantaged by the supermarkets.

The Earl of Minto: The Government does not hold such information. The Groceries Code Adjudicator enforces the Groceries Supply Code of Practice which ensures the 14 largest grocery retailers treat their direct suppliers, including suppliers of fruit and vegetables, lawfully and fairly. Any direct supplier to a regulated retailer that is experiencing issues should contact the GCA whose details are available on the GOV.UK website.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Self-harm and Suicide

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there has been a decrease in the rates of self-harm, assault and suicide in prisons since the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions at the end of March 2022.

Lord Bellamy: The following tables show the rates of self-harm, assault and self-inflicted deaths in prisons.For deaths the rate covers 12 monthly data to March for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. For self-harm and assaults this covers 9 months for April to December (latest available) for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.Table 1; Rate of self-inflicted deaths per 1,000 prisoners, England and Wales1, April 2019 to March 2023YearSelf-inflicted deaths22019-201.02020-211.02021-221.02022-231.0(1) Figures include incidents at HMPPS operated Immigration Removal Centres and during contracted out escorts, but exclude incidents at Medway STC(2) All classifications of deaths remain provisional until confirmed at inquest.Data Sources and QualityThese figures are derived from the HMPPS Deaths in Prison Custody database. As classification of deaths may change following inquest or as new information emerges, numbers may change from time to time.Table 2; Rate of self-harm and assault incidents per 1,000 prisoners1,2, England and Wales, April 2019 to December 20223 Time PeriodSelf-harm4AssaultsApril to December 2019583272April to December 2020503170April to December 2021528196April to December 2022530201   (1) Figures include incidents at HMPPS operated Immigration Removal Centres and during contracted out escorts, but exclude incidents at Medway STC.(2) Figures exclude incidents occurring within the youth estate. The youth estate includes incidents occurring within Cookham Wood, Werrington and Wetherby, as well as the youth wing at Feltham and Parc. Figures for incidents occurring within the youth estate are published within the ‘Safety in the children and young people secure estate’ statistics bulletin via the following link - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/safety-in-the-youth-secure-estate-bulletin(3) The rates are based on the number of incidents and average prison population for the 9 months from April to December each year.(4) In prisons, as in the community, it is not possible to count self-harm incidents with absolute accuracy. In prison custody, however, such incidents are more likely to be detected and counted. Care needs to be taken when comparing figures shown here with other sources where data may be less complete.Data Sources and QualityThese figures have been drawn from the HMPPS Incident Reporting System. Care is taken when processing and analysing returns but the detail is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although shown to the last case, the figures may not be accurate to that level.

Personal Names: Deed Poll

Lord Marlesford: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any limit on the number of occasions that an individual can register a change of name by enrolled deed poll; and if not, what assessment they have made of the implications for(1) national security, (2) the work of the police, and (3) money laundering.

Lord Marlesford: To ask His Majesty's Government what facilities exist for (1) the police, and (2) the public, to establish previous changes of name by enrolled deed poll of individuals.

Lord Bellamy: There is no limit to the number of times a person can change their name by the enrolled deed poll process. This is consistent with long stablished common law rights for people to change their name and the European Convention of Human Rights. Changing a name for a deceptive or fraudulent purpose could however be prosecuted as part of the underlying fraud or deception. Upon enrolment the deed is advertised in the London Gazette by the High Court providing a searchable public record of enrolled deed name changes. As such, the Government does not believe there are any grounds for concerns relating to national security, the work of the police or money laundering arising from the process.

Powers of Attorney

Lord Wills: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the continuing delays by the Office of the Public Guardian in granting Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Lord Wills: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs of the continuing delays by the Office of the Public Guardian in granting Lasting Powers of Attorney to (1) individuals seeking Lasting Powers of Attorney, and (2) taxpayers.

Lord Bellamy: The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is facing high demand to register Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) applications, including overcoming a backlog created during the pandemic. OPG is advising customers that the processing time for LPA applications is currently up to 20 weeks, including the statutory four-week waiting period. Delays in processing LPAs have not led to any increased fee for customers who make an LPA application. OPG aims to achieve 100% cost recovery every year. In 2018/19 and 2019/20, OPG achieved 100.7% cost recovery. If full cost recovery is not achieved, then OPG’s costs are underwritten by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). In the past few years full cost recovery has not been achieved, driven by low demand for LPAs during the pandemic. In 2020/21, MoJ provided £18.9m of taxpayer funds, and £9.16m in 2021/22. This financial position is improving and OPG is waiting for the audit to be concluded for financial year 2022/23, which will be published in due course in the OPG annual report. The Government fully understands that delays in registering and dispatching LPA applications are frustrating for customers. To return to processing times achieved before the pandemic, extra staff have been hired, staff are working overtime and across multiple shift patterns, and process efficiencies have been introduced. The government is also supporting the Powers of Attorney Bill sponsored by Stephen Metcalfe MP. The Bill will enable modernisation of the process for making and registering an LPA, bringing in a new digital channel and improving the paper one. This will create a faster and simpler service for customers and make the system more resilient to future disruption.

Coroners

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether thereis any requirement for a coroner functus officio to respond to emails of an interested person.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any requirement for a coroner functus officio to provide on request the list of court evidence to an interested person.

Lord Bellamy: Coroners are independent judicial officers and the way in which they conduct their investigations is entirely a matter for them. It would therefore be inappropriate for the Government to comment on, or intervene in, the coroner’s decisions in relation to an individual case. There is no specific statutory requirement for a coroner to respond to an email from an interested person. However, the Coroners (Inquest) Rules 2013 and the Coroner (Investigations) Regulations 2013 provide a framework for managing disclosure, including after inquest, to Interested Persons and others. In addition, the Chief Coroner has issued guidance to coroners on disclosure to interested persons (Chief Coroner’s Guidance No.25 on Coroners and the Media). If a family has concerns about a decision made by the coroner, they may want to seek to discuss this with the coroner. Judicial decisions by coroners are capable of being challenged by making an application to the High Court for judicial review. Complaints about the personal conduct of a coroner can be made to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.

Sentencing

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will reinforce thesentencing guidelines to encourage (1) the imposition ofsuspended sentences rather than short sentences, and (2) the imposition of fines and diversion to health institutions rather than custodial sentences.

Lord Bellamy: The sentencing guidelines are a matter for the independent Sentencing Council. The Council is currently considering revisions to its guideline on the Imposition of Community and Custodial Sentences, and we understand it intends to consult on any changes later this year.Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors. The courts also have a statutory duty to follow any relevant sentencing guidelines.

Cabinet Office

Industrial Disputes

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government, followingthe Prime Minister’s discussions with trade unions in January regarding industrial action, what further engagement they have had with trade unions across all sectors to prevent any further industrial action.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Ministers across Government have been meeting with the trade unions to attempt to resolve these disputes where it is possible to do so and, crucially, where it is affordable to the taxpayer.We’ve been clear throughout that we must strike the right balance on what is affordable and realise where compromises must be made.We are actively engaging with the unions to try and facilitate fair compromises to resolve these disputes – including through service reform, productivity and efficiency – and we remain happy to listen to their concerns. Since January, the Government has negotiated with the Agenda for Change workforce, entering into a process of intensive talks to find a fair and reasonable settlement. The majority of AfC unions have now voted to accept that offer. The Government and the education trade unions have entered intensive talks, focusing on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction. There have also been discussions with unions representing the civil service and with the RMT and the British Medical Association. We are determined to find a way through this. We are grateful for the talks we have had so far and we remain happy to listen to the concerns of unions and their members.

Home Office

Salah Hamouri

Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthey intend to prevent Salah Hamouri, who was convicted in Israel in 2005 of plotting to murder a rabbi, from speaking at events in the UK.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.The Home Secretary has a range of powers and tools that can be used to prevent someone from entering to the UK on a case-by-case basis if it is assessed that they pose a threat to UK society.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) for the contents of the Learning Centre to be attached to the UK Holocaust Memorial, and (2) to specify the populations whose genocides are to be commemorated therein.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The main focus of the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre's exhibition content is to ensure that the story of what happened during the unique events of the Holocaust resonates with the public. This will include raising questions about Britain's role at the time. The content will also address genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Freedom of Information

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of freedom of information requests received in the past 12 months by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities were withheld in fullbecause of the cost of the response exceeding the limit.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Cabinet Office publishes information on the handling of freedom of information requests on Gov.uk. This published information shows that for 2022 17% of the 867 requests for information received by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities were refused on the grounds of cost.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether their cost-benefit analyses of wind, solar, nuclear and tidal power take account of (1) the episodic nature of wind and solar power sources, and (2) the short service life of nuclear power facilities and their expensive hazardous waste; and whether their energy policy takes account of the capacity of tidal power stations to provide (a) a sea defence, and (b) a transport link, in addition to the generation of electricity.

Lord Callanan: Levelised Costs of Electricity for generation technologies are reported in the Generation Costs Report. They compare the lifetime costs for a plant (construction, operating, and decommissioning costs) against the plant's expected lifetime generation. They do not consider site specific benefits or costs. In 2010, the Government published a review of tidal barrages or lagoons in the Severn Estuary; this considered flood defence and transport links. It concluded there was no strategic case for a publicly funded Severn tidal range project. The Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for tidal range projects in the bays and estuaries around our coastlines.

Tidal Power: Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) proposals for constructing a tidal barrage between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare, and (2) the number of people living further up the estuary who would be protected from sea flooding.

Lord Callanan: The Government undertook a detailed review onto the strategic value of a tidal barrage in the Severn which reported in 2010. Due to the significant costs, environmental and economic impacts, the study concluded that there was no strategic case for a publicly-funded Severn Tidal barrage. The Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for harnessing the tidal range energy around our coastlines. The Government has included revised guidance on tidal energy in the energy National Policy Statements which have recently been published for consultation. To be granted planning consent, any project would need to ensure environmental impacts are sufficiently mitigated.

Tidal Power

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any study of the tidal power stations at (1) Shashan in China, and (2) Rance in France, including a comparison of the life span and cost of decommissioning nuclear power stations; whether they are aware of any tidal barrage scheme being decommissioned; and how they assess the longevity of tidal power by comparison to other energy sources.

Lord Callanan: The Government has not undertaken any specific studies of the Shashan and Rance tidal power stations nor has it commissioned an assessment to compare the life span and costs of decommissioning for tidal and nuclear power stations. Any proposed tidal range schemes would need to demonstrate strong evidence of value for money in the context of other low-carbon technologies inclusive of life span and costs of decommissioning, as well as details of their associated energy system benefits and environmental impact mitigation strategies before the Government could take a view on their potential or on the funding models appropriate for exploration.

Tidal Power

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's tidal power prospects; and whether they have plans to meet Dr Robert Kirby, former Senior Visiting Fellow at the National Oceanography Centre, to discuss what contribution tidal barrages could make to the UK's energy security and net-zero goals.

Lord Callanan: The Government undertook a detailed review of the strategic value of a tidal barrage in the Severn – The Severn Tidal Power study – which reported in 2010. Due to the significant costs, environmental and economic impacts, the study concluded that there was no strategic case for a publicly-funded Severn Tidal barrage. The Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for harnessing tidal range energy, including barrage schemes and other alternatives. Dr Kirkby may wish to write to my office and set out the issues he would like to explore in discussion.

Department for Transport

South Western Railway: Standards

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether a shortage of diesel fuel was the reason for South Western Railways ceasing to provide a full West of England service from Exeter into London Waterloo in the week ending 28 April; what discussions have they had with (1) the train company, and (2) the rail regulator; and what assessment they have made of the cost to the regional economy of three days without trains.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Department Officials worked closely and extensively with South Western Railway (SWR) to understand the root cause, solution and timelines for returning to the full timetable. It was determined that the cause was contaminated bio fuel in the storage tanks at Salisbury Depot. SWR has hired an independent investigator to find out how and why this occurred which will take a few weeks to conclude. SWR returned to its normal timetable from Friday 28 April, which included direct services between Exeter and London Waterloo. Some Exeter to Waterloo services and services between Salisbury and Southampton returned earlier. The cost to the regional economy was minimised as passengers had the option to travel via Salisbury and Basingstoke or to change tickets to another operator on a similar route.

Dartmoor Line

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government how many passengers on theDartmoor Line used the re-opened Exeter to Okehampton railway in each month for the past year.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Below is a table that shows how many passengers on the Dartmoor Line used the re-opened Exeter to Okehampton railway in each rail period from April 2022 onwards. Rail Period (four weekly)Okehampton journeys2301 – starts 1 April 202210,4062302 – starts 1 May 202212,0902303 – starts 29 May 202218,4412304 – starts 26 June 202218,3052305 – starts 24 July 202218,0682306 – starts 21 August 202223,5192307 – starts 18 September 202218,7722308 – starts 16 October 202222,4112309 – starts 13 November 202224,9522310 – starts 11 December 202212,7572311 – starts 8 January 202321,4182312 – starts 5 February 202325,5482313 – starts 5 March 202322,8672022/2023 total249,554

Dartmoor Line: Railway Stations

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans under the ‘Restoring your Railway’ initiative to open other railway stations on the Dartmoor Line in addition to the second station planned in Okehampton Parkway.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: West Devon District Council was awarded up to £13.455m Levelling Up Funding in January this year to develop the West Devon Transport Hub, including Okehampton Parkway station. There are no plans to open any other stations on the Dartmoor Line.

Okehampton-Bude Railway Line

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to re-opening the railway line fromExeter to Holsworthy and Bude.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The proposed project was assessed as part of the Restoring Your Railway programme after a bid was made under the third round of the programme’s Ideas Fund. The assessment concluded that the project was not appropriate for funding through the Restoring Your Railway programme. Feedback was provided to the sponsoring MPs and promoter in October 2021.

Railways: Standards

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government whathas been the cost to the economy of the increased number of (1) delays, and (2) cancellations, of rail services.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department recognises that delays and cancellations, especially those made close to the time of travel, can be very inconvenient for passengers and prevent them from travelling with confidence. When trains are regularly cancelled this can disrupt people’s lives, communities and the economy. The Department does not hold information on the cost to the economy of the current poor performance on parts of the rail network. The Department has been clear that industry needs to make significant improvements to deliver the punctual, reliable services across the country that support economic growth.

Railways: Standards

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the reliability of rail services.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Despite the fact fewer trains are operating on the network, and passenger demand is still suppressed compared to pre-pandemic levels, current performance remains unacceptably low. The Department has been clear that the current, sustained poor performance on the railway is unacceptable, and industry needs to make significant improvements to deliver the punctual, reliable services that passengers and taxpayers deserve. The Department will continue to monitor the situation very closely and hold industry to account, including through regular high-level meetings with both Network Rail and representatives from the train operating companies.

High Speed 2 Line: Costs

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government, assuming that there is no change to the scope of HS2, what is the additional cost of the two year pause.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We are deferring some capital expenditure on HS2 over the next two financial years in order to manage the public purse in light of inflationary pressures. The Department is working at pace with HS2 Ltd on finalising funding profiles over the next two years and this will include agreeing a sensible funding allocation on work for the rephased elements of HS2. HS2 Ltd is working with its supply chain to understand the wider cost and schedule implications for the programme, including identifying mitigations that seek to protect taxpayer value-for-money from these deferrals. We will continue to provide transparent reporting of costs and regularly update Parliament through our six-monthly reporting process.

Railways: Dawlish

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the (1) scope, and (2) cost, of Phases (a) 4, and (b) 5, of the worksto protect the Dawlish area rail line from flooding; what is the reason for the delay in proceeding with them; whether funding for Phase 5 will be withheld; and if so, on what basis.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: I can confirm that Network Rail has delivered the first two phases of the South West Rail Resilience Programme to provide protection to the railway at Dawlish from coastal flooding. Subsequent phases of the programme relate to cliff protection measures. The third phase is currently in delivery, and a fourth phase covering the railway between Dawlish and Holcombe has funding of £32m and will shortly commence. The fifth and final phase of the programme will address the mile-long section of the railway between Teignmouth and Parson’s Tunnel. Network Rail is developing a detailed scope, cost and a risk-based delivery proposal.

High Speed 2 Line: Cost Benefit Analysis

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current benefit to cost ratio of each of the sections of HS2.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The last published benefit-cost ratio (BCR) for the whole HS2 programme (Phase 1, Phase 2a, Phase 2b Western Leg) was 1.1, published in the supplement to the update on the Strategic Outline Business Case for HS2 Phase 2b Western Leg (July 2022). This excludes the Golborne Link. The BCR does not include dynamic wider economic impacts. The supplement presented the following adjusted BCRs for the different phases of the programme:  Phase One & 2aPhase 2b Western Leg (excl. Golborne Link)Phase One & Phase 2a & Phase 2b Western Leg (excl. Golborne Link)Level 2 BCR (including static wider economic impacts)1.30.71.1 We will continue to provide updated economic assessments of HS2 at key decision points for the programme, including in the next business case for Phase 2b.

High Speed 2 Line

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they can define what is meant by the pausing of work related to HS2; whether this pausing includes stopping all work (1) on sites, and (2) in offices, for (a) design, (b) procurement, or (c) property purchases; and what is the status of works on HS2 (i) Phase 1, (ii) Phase 2A, (iii) Phase 2B West, and (iv) Phase 2B East.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As planned, HS2 will be delivered in phases, with the construction and opening of different stages taking place at different times. To help manage inflationary pressures and balance the nation’s books, we are rephasing delivery for certain elements of the programme in a way that protects value for money for the taxpayer. HS2’s opening stage will be delivered to schedule with the first high-speed services running between Old Oak Common in west London and Birmingham Curzon Street by 2033. We will not proceed to full construction of the Euston Station in the next two years due to affordability and profiling issues, and instead we will aim to deliver the station alongside high-speed infrastructure to Manchester. Construction works on Phase One north of Birmingham, from Delta Junction to Fradley including works at Handsacre, continue to progress. We will rephase construction of Phase 2a by two years, with an aim to deliver high-speed infrastructure to Crewe and services to the North West as soon as possible after accounting for the delay in construction. The previous delivery into service range (2030-2034) will be changed and a new delivery-into-service range for the Phase 2a section between Fradley and Crewe will be confirmed in due course. Regarding the Phase 2b Western Leg, we are committed to bringing high-speed infrastructure to Manchester as soon as possible. The High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill is currently working its way through Parliament, and we are continuing to work towards delivering this section of the railway within the estimated 2035-2041 delivery-into-service range. Work continues on progressing commitments made in the Integrated Rail Plan to develop HS2 East, the proposed route for HS2 services between the West and East Midlands. We continue to work through the details of the rephasing that we announced for parts of the programme, and the Department for Transport will continue to update Parliament on HS2 schedule and delivery via our six-monthly reports.

Attorney General

International Criminal Law: Prosecutions

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Stewart of Dirleton on 25 April (HL6969),how many requests to prosecute cases of international crimes were received by the Attorney General in the last five years; and how many of those were granted.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: The Attorney General’s consent is required for the prosecution in England and Wales of several international crimes. These include: grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, contrary to the Geneva Conventions Act 1957; genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, contrary to the International Criminal Court Act 2001; torture, contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 1988; and hostage-taking, contrary to the Taking of Hostages Act 1982. In the last five years, in relation to the above international crimes, the Attorney General’s Office has received one application for consent to prosecute. Consent was not granted.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce legislation toclarify the constitutional position of Northern Ireland within the UK.

Lord Caine: The constitutional position of Northern Ireland within the UK is clearly set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which declares, consistent with the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, that Northern Ireland in its entirety remains part of the United Kingdom and shall not cease to be so without the consent of a majority of its people. This Government’s steadfast commitment to the Union, and Northern Ireland’s position within it, has been stated many times. In our view, Northern Ireland’s place in the Union is strong and protected by the Windsor Framework.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Signal and WhatsApp

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that WhatsApp and Signal will withdraw from the UK rather than comply with the provisions of the Online Safety Bill.

Viscount Camrose: The Online Safety Bill includes strong safeguards for users’ privacy and does not require, or allow Ofcom to require, the routine scanning of all private messages.However, as a last resort and when there is no alternative measure that would be equally effective, Ofcom can require platforms to use highly accurate technology to identify and remove illegal Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) content only. Where no suitable technology is available, Ofcom can require a platform to use their best endeavours to develop or source new technology to tackle CSEA instead.

Treasury

Windsor Framework

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they are making in relation to plans for His Majesty's Revenue & Customs to engage with the business sector to provide information on clarification of the definition of goods at risk arising from the Windsor Framework.

Baroness Penn: HMRC has engaged with businesses regularly in respect of the arrangements for moving goods into Northern Ireland, including through regular forums, for example, the Joint Customs Consultative Committee. Since the agreement of the Windsor Framework that engagement has continued and is now intensifying, in order to provide clarity and to help businesses prepare for forthcoming changes up until the full implementation of the green lane in October 2024. Businesses should continue to use existing published guidance to support them to move their goods. All relevant guidance will be updated well in advance of the implementation of any changes to requirements.